Post on 07-Apr-2016
description
D IRTY DOGS
LEV I
MANDEL
D IRTY DOGS
I grew up surrounded by dogs. My
grandmother Syd bred German Shepherds, which
meant we always had a minimum of two canines in
the house at all times. Our pets were never technically
“show-quality,” but that only made me love them
more. When I was twenty-two I moved to Brooklyn.
Jobless, broke and with very few friends, I came
across a job listing for “dog-walker” on the Internet.
I envisioned the classic scenario I had seen countless
times in movies: A disheveled twenty-something New
Yorker hoofs through Central Park with a handful
of leashes and an oversized keychain. I immediately
applied for the position and after a few interviews
(and a few fabrications on my resume) I had the job.
The company I worked for was not the large, pack-
walking service that I expected; it was a high-class
dog-walking club for the elite. Our clients paid more
to have their dogs walked separately. Some owners
wanted isolated walks to treat their dog’s anxiety or
injuries; more often they just wanted to ensure their
animal received individualized attention. Although
still mostly friendless, my dogs filled the void of
humanity in my life. They looked forward to seeing
me and I looked forward to seeing them. The large
dogs appreciated my enthusiasm for playing rough,
and the small dogs didn’t mind when I took a nap
on their owner’s couch between walks. During that
time I was photographing my new surroundings
excessively--mostly documenting the surreal nature
of a new, dirty, insane city--so it was only natural that
I photographed my dogs as well. Dirty Dogs brings
together many of the dogs I met that summer, as well
as a few new friends.
-L.M.
- For Mom
Molly, Levi, Turque, Zephyr (Summer 1988)
Photograph courtesy Rayne Mandel
Dirty Dogs
First Edition 2014
Published by A Love Token Press, New York City
ALT0074
© 2014 Levi Mandel for all Photographs
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography,
recording or any other storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in
writing from the artist.
www.levimandel.com
www.alovetoken.com
S